


Troubles Coming

by SalvationsSong



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, F/M, astoria is a badass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-14
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-02-04 16:30:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1785787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalvationsSong/pseuds/SalvationsSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The war is over, Voldemort has won. Harry Potter's supporters are dead or in hiding. But be sure to know, we will find you."</p><p>Two years after the Battle of Hogwarts and Astoria is in hiding. The Greengrass family has lost all power and are now enemies of the new Pureblood regime. All hope seems to be lost, or is it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_I'm scared, I may derail. You can follow them to hell._

Astoria sat at the table, her fingers drumming a steady beat on the marked and scratched wood. Today marked her seventeenth birthday. It also marked two years since she had been on the run, the respected and once powerful Greengrass family forced into hiding after Voldemort had successfully killed Harry Potter and his supporters at the battle of Hogwarts. Astoria and her parents fled the country when word got out that the Greengrass family were Muggle and Muggle-Born sympathizers. The only Greengrass safe was Daphne thanks to both her relationship with Theodore Nott and the Carrows' praise of her efforts in her final year.

A year ago Astoria and her parents were in Belgium and today Astoria was sitting in a dingy New York Muggle bar by herself. Her parents were captured and most likely dead, tortured first Astoria presumed. Any information on their youngest daughter's whereabouts taken from them before their lives were ended. It was because of this Astoria was forced to move from place to place, country to country, city to city; hoping and praying to whoever would listen that she _would not be found._

Astoria's eyes roamed over the other bar patrons, the corner of her lips raised in disgust. _Muggles_ , Astoria thought. While it was known that Astoria was a sympathizer, there were some acts that Muggles partook in that Astoria could not and did not want to understand. For example: the two males in the corner who had been eying her all night. She almost wanted them to try something, her fingers almost itched to claw someone's eyes out.

Although it was now her seventeenth birthday, Astoria knew better than to think that whatever magic the Ministry used to watch over young wizard's wands would be lifted. Death Eaters were still searching for her, they would use whatever magic they could to keep the locater spell on her wand. Astoria's eyes flickered to the clock on the wall, half past twelve. Thirty minutes into her seventeenth birthday, most witches and wizards would have casted over half a hundred spells and curses at this time. But that was before, and Astoria lived in after. She knew better than to risk it, and if asked Astoria wouldn't even know which of her two bags she had on her held her wand. She did, however, remember everything about it. Nine inches, made of rosewood and a dragon heartstring core. The details on it had been her favorite; almost like there were actual roses growing from the fine brown wood. The thought of never being able to use her wand again made Astoria's heart ache.

The brunette rose from her seat and made her way into the bathroom. Making sure to lock the door from any unwelcome visitors, Astoria looked in the mirror. Almost having to squint because the mirror was so dirty, the girl stared at herself. Even to her own eyes she was completely unrecognizable. Her once long hair was now a messy and choppy pixie cut, while her eyes were dull. The black under her eyes had been there for so long she could barely remember what good sleep even meant.

Noises from the bar drew Astoria's attention, her eyes widened when she heard what sounded like a body being thrown at a wall. She hoped it was a bar fight, but knew somewhere deep inside her that it wasn't. Astoria quickly searched the bathroom, looking for a way out but finding none. Her breath quickened as she backed up, her back hitting the other wall in the small room. Her heart was racing ten times faster than possible she was sure, her nails digging deep into her palms. She was stuck, her wand left in her dingy motel room. _Apparate!_ A voice screamed at her. _Do it! Do it now!_

Drawing in a quick breath and picturing the alleyway she had seen before entering the bar, Astoria vanished, the door opening seconds after.

Astoria made her way to her motel room from the alleyway, being careful to not draw any attention to herself. Upon reaching her motel room she knew something was wrong. Everything was still in place, but something was off. She looked around the room, her eyes noting everything and comparing it to the image in her head. _The door_ , she thought. It was closed, but she remembered leaving it open. Carefully, Astoria made her way to her bags and prayed to Rowena that the first bag she opened held her wand. After grabbing it, Astoria stood.

She wondered what her next approach she be, having never been in this situation before. Sure, her parents had gone over what she should do: Run and don't stop. But Astoria was done running, she couldn't do it anymore. She was still contemplating what curse to use when the door opened.

"You can put that down," the intruder said, putting his hands up to show that he did not have his wand.

"And why should I trust you Death Eater?" Astoria snarled, keeping her wand trained on him as he made his way towards her.

The man visibly winced, which Astoria found odd and would have made a comment if she wasn't certain that this whole thing was an act. He continued to walk towards her, but stopped on the other side of the bed. His eyes roamed over her face, as if he were taking in everything about her. "You should trust me, Astoria, because I'm not here to hurt you. Or take you in, I'm here with news."

"If that is true, then tell me your news and leave. I will never trust you, Malfoy."

"You might have to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wow, um. I don't know what to say about this. I was hit with inspiration, I guess? Also, I like writing Astoria as a badass and yeah. Soooo, tell me what you think, por favor?


	2. Chapter 2

_And my heart is a hollow plain, for the devil to dance again. And the room is too quiet._

**_Day One:_ **

Astoria dragged the rock down the stone wall, marking it with a simple line. She leaned her head back, wincing as the cold stone made contact with the large gash on the back of her head. She tried to remember the events that had led to her being here, but nothing was coming. Another round of nausea hit, a concussion, she thought to herself.

The door to the small room she was located in opened, a small sliver of yellow light made its way in. Her left eye, which was now illuminated by the light, was swollen. She had a cut running from her hairline to her chin, the blood was still oozing slowly out of it. If she moved she wouldn't be able to get very far, her leg was broken and she could count three fractured ribs. The door opened a little more, allowing whoever was outside of it in.

The Death Eater dropped a tray of food, if it could be called that, on the ground and kicked it toward her. "Eat up, this could be your last meal," he said before slamming the door on his way out, leaving Astoria in darkness once again.

 _One could only hope_ , Astoria thought as her moved her hand on the ground, searching for the tray.

Giving up on her search, Astoria leaned back against the wall. Gods how she missed New York, even when Draco had shown up and turned everything upside down. Even now, with her being here and him being Rowena knows where, she didn't blame him.

* * *

**_Three Weeks Earlier:_ **

_"You might have to."_

Astoria watched Malfoy, _what the hell did that mean? I might have to?_

"And why would I have to?" Her eyes roamed over him, he looked different. During the war he had been almost skeletal, now he could easily be mistaken for one. His eyes were tired, the bruises under them seemed as though they would never fade. How bad was Britain? Were all the reports true?

Draco sighed, "Lower your wand, Astoria. I'm here to help you."

Astoria hadn't realized how shaky her hands were until she looked at them, she took in a deep breath and lowered her wand, keeping her eyes on Draco. "Help me how?" She asked, placing her wand on the bedside table.

He slowly made his way around the bed to her, "You're not going to believe me, but it's the only way. I'm part of the resistance. Joined right after my mother died."

Narcissa was dead? Astoria's eyes widened, she remembered Narcissa. How could she not? The woman had always been kind to her, had forced the other children to play with her when they would not and later had tea with her when they still would not. It wasn't until later that she realized that Narcissa's kindliness most likely stemmed from Draco and Astoria's betrothal, but it was still nice.

"Oh, Draco, I'm sorry," Astoria shook her head, she let herself fall on the bed, Draco's other words not registering. Narcissa Malfoy was dead, "How?"

Draco turned from Astoria and looked out the window, the memories of his mother's death were too painful. The Dark Lord had found out about Narcissa's lie during the Battle of Hogwarts, he had tortured and killed her in front of her family. Three weeks later, Lucius Malfoy was found dead in Malfoy Manner. _Aunt Bella_ , Draco thought, _the woman couldn't possibly get any deranged._ But it appeared she could, after her sister's death Bellatrix Lestrange was ruthless, more than ever before. Narcissa Malfoy's death had affected more people than thought possible.

Draco turned back towards Astoria, " _He_ killed her. She had lied about Potter being dead and so he killed her."

Astoria closed her eyes, her head lowering. She didn't realize she was crying until a sob broke free and Draco's arms were wrapped around her. They rocked back and forth until Astoria stopped crying, "You joined the resistance after that?"

Draco nodded his head, "Yes, but I'm still a Death Eater."

 _A double agent then_ , Astoria thought. "Why?"

"Because I can give them information and give _Him_ information that may have been true at one time, anything to help, really."

Astoria almost found it funny, Draco Malfoy working against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named- who would have thought?

"What do you want from me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter two yay! Yeah so if you've been to my profile then you've probably seen the updates and stuff- like I said, I know where I want to go with this fic and I'm really excited about it for some reason. Obviously this is a MAJOR AU story. Chapters will be set up this way until we got caught up with the present (as in Astoria's capture). I already have, like chapter five or six written- a different character's pov, so yeah. Anyway read & review, por favor.


	3. Chapter 3

_Don't go around tonight, well it's bound to take your life. There's a bad moon on the rise._

**_Day Unknown:_ **

They had moved her so many times, room to room to room, that Astoria had lost count of the days. She didn't know if it had been a week, a month, or if it had really only been three days. She could count on one hand how many times she had seen the sun since her capture, the number was almost has heartbreaking as everything else that had taken place in her short life. She did however know who her guards were today, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini. She had been surprised by Blaise's presence, the last she heard he was helping the cause; she supposes there are always going to be liars.

Her room now had a bed, and a chair, the bed had straps which they used to tie her down and continue their torture. The other Death Eaters, Parkinson and Blaise weren't allowed to touch her. She doesn't know if she's grateful or not. A knock brought Astoria out of her daze, she immediately sat on her bed as she was expected to. When Blaise entered, Astoria's brows furrowed. _Have the rules changed now? Do they think I'll give them any information?_

"Relax, I'm here to give you this," Blaise said, checking behind him before moving the door a little bit, open enough to make sure nobody could see in, but closed enough to make it inconspicuous. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment, it looked to have been crumpled as though it had been continuously read and reread.

"What is it?" Astoria asked hoarsely, her voice almost damaged beyond repair from her constant screams of agony.

Blaise seemed to wince at it, he moved closer outstretching his hand to give her the parchment. "Just read it, and when you're done hide it. As best as you can, do you understand?"

Astoria nodded, Blaise gave her a once over before turning around and leaving, shutting the door as quietly as he could. Astoria waited until his footsteps faded into the end of the hallway before unfolding the parchment. It was blank.

 _Great_ , Astoria thought, _this is great. Real helpful, Blaise._

She hid the parchment under her mattress, it was then that she noticed something. In the dark, words seemed to appear. A closer look reveled to Astoria that they weren't words, it was a code.

* * *

**_Two Weeks Earlier:_ **

What Draco wanted was her help, and for that he had apparently risked his own life to get it. He informed her that it wasn't safe to bring her back to England, _Blood traitors are their highest priority and you are at the top of the list._ He had said, mentioning it casually as though it were no big deal that there was a bounty out for her, as though her wasn't already on a spike. _No matter_ , he continued, _we can just stay here._

She didn't like that plan.

But they had stayed, or _he_ had stayed considering Astoria had already been there and wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon. She had let him live in her run down motel room with her, forcing him to sleep on the stained and dirtied carpeted floor. The look he gave her when she suggested it almost made her laugh. Almost.

He spent most of his time researching, learning the laws of the American Wizarding World, commenting on how simple or complex something was every once in a while. Sometimes he was in awe, and other times his nose would scrunch, as though he had smelt something awful. _Bloody Americans_ was a term she heard often.

One night, after she had woken to his screaming, he told her everything. His nightmares were caused by the things he had seen, sometimes he could stop them and others he was forced to watch, his body paralyzed while his mother was brutally murdered. Often times it was the latter.

He told her about Snape, who he really was. It had been a wonder that anyone had been able to figure it out, he said. Everybody who knew the truth was dead. When Astoria asked who was the one to find out the information Draco simply replied: Ginny.

It was seven days into Draco's stay that Astoria was captured, Draco had left to go do more research, it was though he never stopped. Practically reciting what he had learned in his sleep. She had gone out to get something and when she returned she saw that their motel room (it didn't surprise her as much as it should have when started referring to everything as theirs) had been torn apart.

The last thing Astoria remembered was the bathroom door opening and then nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello, it's me. So yeah- I've been busy. My birthday happened and then I had some stuff going on but here's chapter three. R&R, por favor.


	4. Chapter 4

_And God knows I'm not dying but I bleed now. And God knows it's the only way to heal now._

**_Undisclosed Location, England:_ **

Ginny had never seen Draco this distraught. The Greengrass girl had been taken, the girl Draco had followed to New York. Ginny didn't understand why, not until Nott had informed her that Draco and the girl had been betrothed since her birth.  _An arranged marriage_ , Ginny thought,  _peculiar_.

Ginny wasn't unaccustomed to them, obviously she was pureblood and many of her cousins' marriages had been arranged. It was strange that Draco would go all the way to New York for his betrothed, a girl he had barely spoken to in his life.

She supposed it was because he was searching, grasping, for a connection to his past. Grabbing onto whatever reminded him of what was. Anything that connected him to his father,  _his mother_.

Still though, he was betrothed and he never told her. Of course, he didn't have to but it would have been nice to know. Gods, she sounded jealous. What they had, what they did was purely out of frustration and a need to forget. No emotions, because they both knew they could never, ever fall in love.

Her heart belonged to a corpse and his was ice, impenetrable to even the hottest of touches. Or so it seemed.

Even so, she was the one he took to bed, she was the one whose door he knocked upon, whose safe house he would show up at if he ever felt lonely, or just needed to forget. Hearing from Nott that the man she let into her bed was betrothed felt almost like a stab in the back, it reminded Ginny that no matter how much he seemed to trust her, them, it wasn't enough and perhaps never would be.

Draco was going over strategies, informing the volunteers of which Death Eaters would be on guard the night they had decided to get Astoria back.

"Pansy Parkinson." Parkinson? Pansy Parkinson? Ginny looked at Draco, but it seemed he was avoiding eye contact with her.  _That's why he didn't want me going_ , Ginny thought.  _He knows what I would do._

Ginny sent Draco a look she knew he wouldn't be able to see and left the room. He was denying her revenge, again. He knew,  _he knew, he knew, he knew_  that revenge against Pansy Parkinson and Crabbe was what she wanted, what she needed.

He knew that it was because of them she couldn't sleep. Because of them when she closed her eyes she saw her parents, Bill, Fred, Ron- all dead. Hermione- hell even Cho Chang's mutilated body that had been found in the same village as one of their safe houses in France. Her family, her friends, all gone.

She knew that it wasn't really their fault for every life she had lost, but Hermione's death, Hermione's death they had caused.

Hermione had been captured a little over a year ago, she had been tortured and her body had been barely even recognizable. Ginny still felt sick even thinking about that day, the day Neville had shown up at the safe house she was staying in and told her of what he had found. Later they found out she had been given to a werewolf after they found no use for her.

Ginny knew that Draco didn't want her to get hurt, despite their agreement of 'no feelings' he did care for her. She was, according to him, the only one who he could stand for more than ten minutes at a time. It still hurt though.

"I thought I'd find you here," Ginny turned to see the former Slytherin leaning again the doorway. To someone who didn't know him he looked like a regular nineteen year old, maybe a bit too thin. But Ginny did know him. She could see just how tired he was, the purple under his eyes almost too noticeable, he wasn't his normal pale either; he looked sick, almost as though he were deathly ill.

"When's the last time you actually slept?" Ginny asked, ignoring his previous statement. She knew he wanted to talk, but if she were honest (and she always was) she didn't want to. Nothing he had to say would make her feel any better, or less hurt.

Draco shrugged leaning away from the doorframe as he stepped inside, Ginny would never be able to understand how after everything he still managed to keep his "Malfoy swagger". He walked a little more slowly than usual, to many it would seem as though he had just had a long day of work, but she knew that he was actually recovering from a wound. The bloody idiot had nearly killed himself saving Luna. "Who needs sleep?"

Ginny fought the urge to roll her eyes, "Normal people, Draco. You can't push yourself like this, it isn't healthy."

"Yes, I know, thank you," Draco replied, his tone was too snarky for Ginny's liking. He brought himself over to the old green couch in front of the stone fireplace, almost draping himself across it. "Perhaps I'll take a nap, then? You and the rest can do whatever?"

Ginny stepped so she was in his line of vision, "Why didn't you tell me?"

He raised a pale eyebrow, "Pardon?"

"About her, why didn't you tell me?" Ginny wasn't in the mood for games, but by gods she would have her answer.

Draco shrugged and Ginny pretended she didn't seem him wince, "Never came up, I suppose."

She scoffed, shaking her head, "Never came up? You're a real piece of work, you know that Malfoy? Merlin, you could have told me- it wouldn't have changed anything!"

"If it wouldn't have changed anything, why are you making a big deal about it now?" He closed his eyes, as though he had one the argument with that simple question.

Why was she making a big deal about it?  _Because he lied_ , a voice whispered in her head.

"If we get her back, and everything goes according to plan will you still marry her?" She needed to know this, why didn't know but she did.

"When," he said, "When we get her back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is the chapter that I said was going to be either five or six, but I lied. I felt like we needed a little break from Astoria to see what Draco is doing. Also, Ginny.


	5. Chapter 5

_I struggle to find any truth in your lies, and now my heart stumbles upon things I don't know. My weakness I feel I must finally show._

**_One week later:_ **

The code hadn't been helpful. It was a series of numbers that Astoria's mind couldn't or wouldn't understand. The numbers  _06241999_  meant nothing to her. Codes had always been her thing, something she was good at. She and Daphne had made up codes when they were in school; a way of communicating when the two sisters were in different houses.

Astoria wasn't put in Ravenclaw for nothing.

This code however, she didn't understand. Nothing was coming to mind on how to solve it. The torture she had gone through, whatever curses and jinxes they had used on her, they had done something to her mind. Maybe it impossible for her to think clearly.  _It is like having a concussion_ , Astoria thought. Except there would be no healers to fix it.

There would no healers to fix any of her bumps and bruises, her gashes and cuts. Her torturers were relentless, she had no day of rest. What were they hoping to gain? Any information they wanted from her they got. She had nothing else to give. Were they hoping that the Order would show up and save her? She doubted it, for all they knew she meant nothing to them.

She was just a broken girl now. Her parents murdered, her sister unable to help without risking her life. She had nothing and no one. She wouldn't be saved, she wasn't worth the effort. That realization should have hurt, but it didn't. Astoria knew it was the truth, there would be no point for anyone to risk their lives and resources to save a girl like her. She didn't want that.

#

It was late, the moon was full and Astoria sat with her back against the wall on her cot. She stared at the parchment, willing the numbers to make sense.  _Gods, why can't this be easy?_  Astoria thought, her finger slowly tracing the numbers.  _This should be easy._

Her finger paused its motion, her eyes widening as she was hit with a thought.

_06241999_

_06_

_24_

_1999_

It wasn't a code, it was a  _date_.

* * *

**_Undisclosed Location, England:_ **

His words haunted her for days.  _When we get her back_ , he sounded so sure and Ginny only wished she knew how he could.  _Godric, how was it possible for him to sound so sure?_  How was it  _fair_? The war, the battle, and the aftermath had changed them all. Ginny knew that, Ginny knew that better than anyone, but how Draco managed to sound so level-headed amazed her.

He was constantly planning now, Ginny didn't think he ever slept. He was always working, always moving from one safe house to another. The plan would be put in motion in two days and never had Ginny seen Draco this nervous. He wouldn't be able to go, if anything went wrong and his cover was blown-Ginny didn't want to think about it.

They had already lost too many people.

Draco's nervous energy seemed to be affecting everyone, Neville, who would be leading the mission, had taken up the habit of constantly wringing his hands. Luna was more subdued than usual and she spent a lot of time in her room, Neville was the only person allowed to see her. Dean and Seamus seemed on edge, their wands always at the ready. Ginny didn't know what the people in the other safe houses were doing or how they were feeling, but she knew that they couldn't be calm. Or happy.

Most people didn't understand why they were risking their lives to save the Greengrass girl, but they didn't question Draco's authority. At least when he was in hearing distance.

But Draco was sure that this would work, that they would get Astoria and everything would be fine. They would be able to do this.

Ginny just hoped he was right.


	6. Chapter 6

The problem with being held prisoner-besides being held prisoner, being tortured, the lack of food and water, and basically everything-is that you don't have a way of telling time, and therefore have no way of knowing how many days or weeks or even months and years have passed. You don't know whether it is night or day, rain or shine. Is it winter? Has the snow fallen, the ground covered in a pure white blanket? Has Christmas passed? Have families celebrated the new year, and lovers sharing in the traditional kiss at midnight?

You don't know, and if you're unlucky you'll never know.

Astoria never thought herself to be one of luck, looking at the past two years of her life and you'd be inclined to agree. Of course, a person's luck had a way of changing; whether it was by a charm or a potion or even a person's optimism and motivation, but then Astoria had been kidnapped and tortured and was never given a luck potion or charm, her optimism and motivation were nonexistent-if they ever did exist-and so nothing that happened made sense to her.

It was almost like a dream.

#

Cold. She felt cold, her whole body was shivering and shaking and it was like the first night all over again. Her hands and feet were numb, she wasn't sure if she was actually moving any part of her body, but she must have been to get to the door.

The door that was open.

_Strange_ , Astoria thought. She didn't dare leave her room though, what if it were a trap? What if they were testing her and leaving the room meant being killed? What if they were finally going to kill her and they tempted freedom while they were at it? Showing her that they were the ones in control, that she would never be free of them.

Astoria continued to stare into the black hallway, there were no lights, no candles lit. Come to think of it, Astoria didn't hear anything either. Usually she would be able to hear something, the Death Eaters that were stationed outside her door for the night talking or playing wizard's chess, the other Death Eaters that lived in the home going about their business downstairs-something, anything. But there was nothing.

And still she did not move. Fear kept her rooted on spot, fear would keep her in this room until a Death Eater came in and told she had passed, or would kill her because they had grown tired of her. Fear would keep her alive for as long as she wanted to live, for that is what she had learned in the past two years. That is what she would remember.

She could see her breath, the room was so cold still and she had nothing to warm herself with. The tattered blanket they had given her was gone but she didn't remember it being taken.

Astoria was a light sleeper, you had to be when you were on the run, she would know if someone had come into her room and taken the only thing that kept her warm. There was no memory of that, there was no memory of anything really. The last thing she remembered was the code- _Oh gods_ , Astoria turned to her mattress.  _What if they had found it?_  She lifted it, but she had no light to see. She ran her hand along the cool floor, jerking her hand back when her fingers first touched its iciness.  _Rowena, it's freezing_. She placed her hand back on the floor, slowly this time, and began trying to find the parchment. Nothing, there was nothing.

Astoria released a shaky breath, they  _had_  found it. They had found her salvation and now what? What were they doing? What were they  _going_  to do?

She wanted to cry, she wanted to fall to the floor and let herself sob. She wanted her mother and her father, she wanted Daphne. Gods, she wanted anybody. But there was no one, and there might never be anyone. She was going to die, she was certain.

_I'm going to die and I'm okay with that_ , Astoria thought.

_I'm okay with that._

* * *

It was bright-the light was almost blinding with its brightness. Astoria blinked, then blinked again. There was a sharp throbbing, like someone was banging against her forehead. She closed her eyes again, a pathetic sounding whimper coming from her as she turned onto her side.

Her eyes snapped open again. Sitting up she realized she was no long in the small room that she had last been in. No, now she was in a different room and the bright light was the sun shining through the window. Astoria looked around, noting that the walls of the room were painted a dull yellow and the bedding of the bed she had been sleeping on was floral.

Astoria's eyebrows furrowed, she grabbed the edge of the bedding and removed it from her. Slowly she turned her body so her feet hovered just above the wood flooring. She was wearing a simple, white nightdress,  _how?_

She placed her feet on the ground and moved to the window, hoping that maybe she would be able to tell where she was. No such luck, all there seemed to be were trees. She looked around again, her wand wasn't on the bedside table, nor was it on the dresser next to the door.  _Do I dare?_

Taking a deep breath, Astoria walked slowly over to the door, turning the knob and gently opening it. She released the breath she had been holding when the door opened without making any noise. There was no one outside the door, or in the hallway at all for that matter. Astoria stepped into the hall, turning one way to see that it ended with a window and the other way led to a staircase.

Putting one hand on the wall, Astoria made her way to the stairs. She peered over the railing looking to see if anyone was there. No one.

Brushing her hand against the railing, Astoria went to the first step. Still, no one. She walked down the stairs slowly, her eyes closing and her breathing coming to a stop when one of the stairs groaned under her weight. She waited a few moments, but there came no yells. No one came to the stairs to see what or who had made the noise. Astoria made her way down the rest of the stairs. There was a door to her left and a door to her right, both were closed but it was the door in front of her that drew the most attention.  _Freedom._

_But from what? And Whom? Where even am I?_  Astoria thought, looking around. The walls were bare, there were no personal touches to be found.  _Who owned this house?_

Behind her there was another hallway, and from the open concept of the back area Astoria could tell it was the kitchen area.  _Okay_ , Astoria thought.  _This is strange._

The brunette looked at the front door one more time before heading down the hallway to the kitchen.  _I should at least eat something_ , Astoria reasoned as she entered the room. No one was in here either.

_Where the hell am I?_

"You're safe."


	7. Chapter 7

_All you have is your fire, and the place you need to reach. Don't you ever tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash._

The first thing Ginny thought upon seeing Astoria Greengrass was the that the girl was pretty. She had pretty brown hair that had been poorly cut, but now reached her shoulders at odd angles. Her blue eyes were dull, lifeless almost, but Ginny could tell that they once sparkled. Ginny had heard, from Luna, that Astoria was smart. Her quick wit and intelligence had made her a valued Ravenclaw house member, a star pupil at Hogwarts. And of course there was her inheritance, although useless now. The Greengrasses had once owned one of the largest trading companies in the world.  _Their company would have been valuable to Voldemort_ , Ginny thought.  _Probably why he was so insistent in their capture._

After the Greengrasses had made it clear that they would never side with Voldemort, their accounts had been seized, access to them blocked. Their estate and family heirlooms taken from them, any valuables pertaining to the image of the Greengrass wealth and prestige stolen; a cruel and unjust fate seen in the Pureblood community, but in light of the Greengrasses betrayal, appropriate.

Ginny had seen Astoria enter the kitchen and decided to see what exactly she was up to. Ginny trusted Draco's judgement, to an extant. This girl,  _the girl he was supposed to marry_ , had been captured by the Death Eaters. It was obvious from the marks upon her skin that she had been tortured and abused, and still Ginny was suspicious. The plan to save Astoria had gone through flawlessly. They hadn't lost anyone, no one was spotted, everything was perfect.

But what if the Death Eaters had gotten word? What if they knew what was going on, what was going to happen? They could have easily placed a spell on Astoria, making her into an, albeit unknowing, double agent. So, Ginny followed her.

"Where the hell am I?" The brunette asked. Her voice was hoarse, scratchy sounding. From screaming, lack of water or a combination of both, Ginny didn't know.

"You're safe," Ginny replied, stepping slowly into the kitchen.

The younger girl jumped, quickly turning around to face the intruder. Her hand automatically going to her leg, where her wand would have been in the pocket of her jeans. Her fingertips brushed against the white nightgown and Astoria remembered that she was wandless, and therefore in a very bad position.

Ginny raised her arms, her hands held open, "Easy, it's okay. I won't hurt you. I'm-"

"Ginny Weasley, yes I know," Astoria cut in, her left fist clenching and unclenching. "Where am I?"

"A safe house," another voice replied. Both the brunette and the red head turned to the back door.

"Draco?" Astoria questioned, her eyes widening. She made to move but hesitated, her arms coming up to wrap around her torso.

Draco's eyes wandered over his would be betrothed before flicking over to Ginny. "I'll take it from here."

Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but Draco just gave her a look. His eyes pleading with her. Sighing, Ginny nodded and turned around and leaving the way she had come. Draco looked back to Astoria, who was eyeing him warily. He took a small step forward and when she didn't seem to move away, another.

He slowly made his way to her, reaching his hand out to brush against her arm once he stood in front of her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, his eyes moving quickly over her face, taking in the bruises and small cuts.

Astoria looked up at him, shaking her head. She had never thought of what she would do if she ever saw him again, she honestly didn't think she would.

"Come on," Draco said, holding his hand out for her to take. She eyed it, as though waiting for a snake to attack. "We're just going to my study, Astoria."

Slowly, Astoria reached out and grabbed his hand. He gave it a quick squeeze before walking out of the room. He brought her back to the front of the house and Astoria saw the front door again. The door the called to her,  _freedom, freedom_. Draco opened the door to the right of the stairs and led her in.

"You can sit on the couch," he told her, closing the door as he spoke.

Astoria looked around the small room, there was a desk facing the door and behind that a window. To her left was a two person leather couch and to her right a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf. The brunette slowly walked to the couch and took a seat, flinching when Draco sat down next to her.

He frowned and then released a sigh, "What did they do to you?"

_Too much_ , she thought.


	8. Chapter 8

_She remembered things in fragments._

_A fire that never seemed to stop burning._

_The smell of blood and death._

_Red and blonde and black hair, open but unseeing eyes._

_Bodies upon bodies, a massacre._

_The sound of screaming, never ending and ear piercing. She wanted to find whoever it was and comfort them, she wanted to find whoever it was and tell them to stop or they'd be dead. She couldn't remember how long it had been until she realized the screaming was coming from her._

#

_Undisclosed Location, England:_

_"What did they do to you?"_  he'd asked. Astoria still hadn't answered. Putting it off, telling him she couldn't remember everything, that the memories were too painful. It wasn't until she gave him another excuse that she realized he wasn't pushing her for an answer. Not really.

He wanted to know, he wanted to be able to help her. He wanted to not have to worry about her, wanted to be safe in the knowledge that she was okay, that she was going to be fine.

She wasn't and she probably never would be. Draco didn't have to know that though.

* * *

Ginny was nice, Astoria thought. Well, as nice as she could be. It was obvious the former Gryffindor didn't trust her. Astoria supposed she didn't help prove her innocence, though she had plenty of reasons for being a bit jumpy.

Luna was still as strange and peculiar as ever, though some of her wonder of the world had vanished. It was no secret that Luna had once been held prisoner at Malfoy Manor along with Dean Thomas, both knew what it was like to fear for their lives and both knew what it was like to live with that knowledge that any moment could be their last.

That's probably why they were so nice to her.

* * *

_Luna lent the Greengrass girl some of her clothes_ , Ginny noticed as she and the others from the safe house sat in what had once been a formal dinning room. She watched as the younger girl nervously played with the frayed sleeves of her hand-me-down sweater, her eyes flitting around the room in quick succession. Taking in everything and nothing.

Ginny's attention moved to the doorway as Draco entered. She watched as he went by Astoria, briefly resting his hand on her shoulder before moving to the head of the table. Something inside Ginny's stomach twisted.  _Foolish girl_ , she thought.  _Let it go._

She didn't mind that Draco had stopped visiting her bed, what bothered her was his complete trust in Astoria Greengrass.  _Something is off,_  Ginny knew. She had a gut feeling and she always trusted her gut.

_I'll figure out what it is, I_ have _to._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm not giving up on this story either. Sorry, if you read my other fic then you probably saw the author's note there and know what's going on. If not then: I've been busy, I have a full time job and my laptop crashed (but it's obviously fixed now). Slowly I'm working through this. I don't know when the next update will be, I'm going to try and finish my other fic so I can focus on this one so we shall see.


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